Critique of Bored Reason: On the Confinement of the Modern Condition

Dmitri Nikulin's Critique of Bored Reason argues that boredom is a mark of modernity, providing a critical reconstruction of the modern subject as universal, rational, autonomous, and self-sufficient. It places boredom on center stage in the philosophical critique of modernity and considers the alternative to the notion of the autonomous subject in the dialogic and comic subject capable of shared existence with others.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 328 pages
Publication date: 08 February 2022
Publisher: Columbia University Press

The roots of many fundamental ideas within the Western philosophical tradition can be traced back to ancient times. However, it is noteworthy that boredom does not feature prominently in classical philosophical discourse. In this intellectual exploration, Dmitri Nikulin delves into the concept of genealogy to establish that boredom serves as a distinctive hallmark of modernity. Nikulin argues that boredom is a phenomenon that is uniquely associated with the modern era. He offers a critical reinterpretation of the notion of the modern subject, portraying it as a universal, rational, autonomous, and self-sufficient entity. Understanding oneself in this manner, the modern subject assumes the roles of the protagonist, playwright, director, and spectator in the theatrical drama of human existence. Consequently, this subject is inherently monological, solitary, and isolated, unable to transcend its own presence or rid itself of it. In simpler terms, the modern subject experiences boredom, which serves as the fundamental manifestation and symptom of the modern condition.

In Critique of Bored Reason, Nikulin examines the works of prominent thinkers such as Descartes, Pascal, Kant, Kierkegaard, Kracauer, Heidegger, and Benjamin, placing boredom at the forefront of the philosophical critique of modernity. Additionally, he explores the alternative to the notion of the autonomous subject, envisioning the nonbored and nonboring subject capable of engaging in a dialogic and comedic existence alongside others.

Weight: 524g
Dimension: 157 x 233 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231189071